Rutgers officials silent on news school may seen to join Big Ten

Rutgers University and Christie administration officials were silent Sunday when asked about news the school was courting a high-profile spot in the Big Ten college athletic conference.

Ralph Izzo, the chairman of Rutgers Board of Governors, declined to comment Sunday. Izzo did say that the board has set a special 8 a.m. meeting today, as well as a special meeting later this morning with the Rutgers Board of Trustees, the school’s other governing body.

The two boards are expected to focus their attention on approving Rutgers’ reorganization in the wake of a restructuring bill passed by the Legislature - Rutgers is acquiring parts of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, a major overhaul pushed by Governor Christie this year. But portions of the meetings today are scheduled to be held in private.

Rutgers spokesman Greg Trevor declined to say what private discussions were expected to be held.

The news the school could join the nation’s oldest Division I college athletic conference comes amid a high-stakes battle between the state and major athletic organizations — including the NCAA — over attempts to bring sports betting to the Garden State.

Defying a 20-year federal ban on sports betting throughout much of the country, voters last year approved a state constitutional amendment that could bring wagering on amateur and professional sports to Atlantic City casinos and the state’s racetracks by January.

Supporters, including Christie and state Sen. Ray Lesniak, D-Union, argue the measure could legalize an industry that has previously operated only in the shadows and bring in much-needed revenue for the state’s casinos. Betting on Rutgers games would be prohibited.

Yet first the plan will have to survive a legal challenge brought by professional sports leagues.

And the NCAA retaliated against the state last month, announcing that it would move six college tournaments out of New Jersey — including a Division I swimming and diving event set to be held at Rutgers in March.

It said that it would no longer host tournaments in the state, citing sports betting’s inherent conflict with the organization’s “policy and beliefs.”

The Christie administration didn’t respond to several requests for comment Sunday.

The possibility of Rutgers joining the Big Ten could raise the school’s athletic profile months after a major reorganization of public higher education institutions in the state was meant to catapult Rutgers to the top echelon of research universities.

Supporters of the reorganization say it will allow Rutgers to boost its academic offerings — especially its research in science and medicine — by absorbing much of UMDNJ, the state’s financially troubled public medical school.

Legislation to move forward with the merger plan was signed over the summer — after Rutgers-Camden fought off Christie’s original plan, which called for the school to be absorbed by Rowan University.